The Discovery Center Of Idaho Inc

What The Discovery Center Of Idaho Inc does

The Discovery Center of Idaho Inc is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit hands-on science center founded in 1988 and located in Boise, Idaho. It operates as the only hands-on science museum in the state, delivering interactive STEM exhibits, educational programming, summer camps, school field trips, and community outreach to families, K-12 students, and regional visitors across the Treasure Valley and broader Idaho. The organization maintains an in-house exhibit design and fabrication capability through the Micron Innovation Lab, producing proprietary interactive content alongside licensed traveling exhibitions such as BRICKS! (2023) and Going Places (2025). Outdoor extensions such as the 2025 Solar System Trail and off-site channels including a STEM Kit Lending program and virtual programming expand the educational surface beyond the physical facility.

The business model is a diversified nonprofit revenue stack: paid admissions priced $18-$27 per visit, individual and family memberships priced $70-$160, summer camp tuition, on-site retail, facility rentals, and a substantial base of corporate sponsorship and foundation grants. Named institutional supporters include the Micron Foundation (operating partner of the in-house exhibit lab) and Chevron (sponsor of the TINKER THE T-REX exhibit). The organization augments this base with accessibility-focused programming — Sensory-Friendly Learning Hours launched April 2025 and Recite Me multilingual/assistive web tooling deployed May 2024 — broadening the addressable audience to neurodiverse families and non-English-speaking visitors. As of the most recent data, the operating team is estimated at 11-50 employees supporting a single physical site, with a capital campaign launched in October 2024 (anchored by a $450,000 Murdock Foundation grant) directed at facility expansion and programmatic scaling.

Name

The Discovery Center Of Idaho Inc

Legal name

Discovery Center of Idaho Inc

Website

https://dcidaho.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1988

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Discovery Center of Idaho Inc is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit hands-on science museum founded in 1988 in Boise, Idaho, delivering interactive STEM exhibits, school programs, and summer camps to families and K-12 students across the region.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Science Museum / Hands-on Science Center

NAICS

Museums (712110)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Science & Technology Museums (THAJADAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

STEM, Digital Literacy & Maker Education Nonprofits (BPAGADAG), Hands-on Science Exploration & Experiments (Lab Kits, Science Clubs) (EDAMABAA), Robotics, Engineering & Makers Camps (EDAMALAE), Makerspaces & Fab Labs (Open Build Studios) (EDAMADAC)

Keywords

• Hands-on science exhibits
• STEM education programs
• Interactive museum learning
• Science center memberships
• STEAM educational outreach

Headquarters

HQ city

Boise

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Museum Admission: Ticket sales for museum admission including adults ($27), seniors ($24), youth ($18). Revenue from online reservations and walk-up sales via Blackbaud platform.
2. Memberships: Annual memberships providing unlimited admission: Individual ($70), Dual ($95), Grandparent ($125), Family ($160), Add-On ($35). ASTC Passport benefits included.
3. STEM Store Retail: Retail store selling science kits, toys, and STEM-themed merchandise. Open to public without museum admission. Members receive 10% discount.
4. Camps and Educational Programs: Fee-based summer camps and educational programs for ages 5-13 covering STEM topics including dinosaurs, space, Minecraft, and Wizarding themes.
5. Corporate Sponsorships and Donations: Sponsorship opportunities for exhibitions, events, and capital campaign. Tax-deductible donations from individuals, corporations, and foundations. Planned giving and stock donations available.
6. Community Outreach Services: Fee-based outreach programs bringing STEAM activities to community events. Pricing varies; 2 weeks advance notice required.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Discovery Center of Idaho operates a hands-on science center in Boise, Idaho, delivering interactive STEM and arts exhibitions, educational programs, summer camps, field trips, and a STEAM Kit Lending Program. Offerings combine world-class traveling exhibitions with proprietary in-house exhibits produced in the Micron Innovation Lab, supported by a STEM Store, annual memberships, and accessibility programs such as Sensory-Friendly Learning Hours and multilingual exhibit translations.

Product overview

The Discovery Center of Idaho is Idaho's only hands-on science center, offering world-class traveling exhibitions alongside one-of-a-kind exhibitions built in-house by their Exhibits Team in the Micron Innovation Lab. The organization operates as a unified experience combining permanent exhibitions (Matter Splatter, TINKER THE T-REX), rotating traveling exhibitions (Dinosaurs on the Move, Going Places), and educational programs (STEM Camps, Field Trips, Virtual Programs, STEAM Kit Lending). Additional offerings include outdoor attractions (Paddle Boats, Solar System Trail), accessibility services (Sensory-Friendly Learning, Exhibit Translations), retail (STEM Store), and membership programs. The center serves as both an exhibition venue and educational resource provider through community outreach and partnerships with organizations like Boise State University, Idaho STEM Action Center, and Micron.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Dinosaurs on the Move: The Animated Exhibition Traveling exhibition produced in Mexico bringing the Mesozoic Era to life with life-sized dinosaur replicas featuring ultra-realistic movements and sounds, exploring Life Science and Earth and Space Science topics including evolution, taxonomy, dietary habits, and paleontology for general visitors and school groups.
• TINKER THE T-REX 1,000 sq. ft. sponsored exhibition featuring hands-on STEM exhibits exploring natural history, prehistoric fossils, and the build of a young T. rex, built in-house at the Micron Innovation Lab for museum visitors and school groups.
• Matter Splatter Material sciences exhibition featuring innovative hands-on exhibits and experiences designed and produced in the in-house Micron Innovation Lab, allowing visitors to experience materials used in advanced technology.
• Solar System Trail ¾-mile outdoor loop exhibit at Julia Davis Park with large 24x48" panels in English and Spanish showcasing each planet at relative scale and spacing, providing a tangible sense of the vast distances within our solar system for general visitors.
• BRICKS! Interactive 3,000 sq. ft. exhibition igniting design curiosity and hands-on creativity, presented in partnership with the Idaho STEM Action Center for general visitors and school groups.
• Going Places Traveling Exhibition Traveling exhibition exploring how different modes of transportation have shaped society with interactive exhibits including flying a plane, riding a hovercraft, racing on a recumbent bicycle, and learning to fly an airship for general visitors.
• The World's Largest Dinosaurs Traveling Exhibition Major traveling exhibition featuring prehistoric paleontology exhibits for general visitors and school groups.
• Paddle Boat Rentals Paddle boat rentals available on-site for museum visitors to enjoy on the water.
• Field Trip Program Educational field trip experiences supported by the Education team, including guided visits and educational resources for school groups and homeschool co-ops.
• STEM Camps Summer and seasonal camps for ages 5-13 covering STEM themes including dinosaurs (Mesozoic Camp), Wizarding (in partnership with Idaho Botanical Garden), Minecraft Adventure, Elementary Explorers, Culture Quest, and Camp Impact (in partnership with Wassmuth Center for Human Rights).
• Virtual School Programs On-demand STE(A)M instruction for at home, in the classroom, or on the road, including a resource library, STEAM lending kits, and live Zoom sessions with educators for schools, homeschool families, and individual learners.
• STEAM Kit Lending Program Lending library of 60+ hands-on STEAM learning kits from N.I.S.E., CELL-MET, and the Discovery Center's own collections, available to educators and caregivers with a fully refundable $25 deposit for 3-week lending periods.
• Young Discoverers Weekly member-only program for children ages 3-5 and their grownups exploring STEAM concepts through hands-on learning and experimentation, held Fridays at 10:30-11:15 AM.
• Sensory-Friendly Learning Hours Monthly sensory-friendly hours for visitors who may become overstimulated, featuring sensory kits with noise-reducing headphones, sunglasses and fidget toys, plus sensory guide maps.
• Community Outreach Fee-based STEAM education activities brought to community events throughout the Treasure Valley, bookable with 2 weeks advance notice.
• STEM Storytime Weekly Monday program at 1:00 PM during the school year featuring a story followed by a hands-on STEM activity inspired by the book of the week, included with admission.
• Homeschool Days Dedicated days for homeschool groups with advanced reservation and purchase, including special take-home activity kits related to current exhibitions.
• Exhibit Translations (French and Spanish) Digital language translation program for exhibit panels and labels created by Boise State University Department of World Languages graduate students, available in written and recorded formats in French and Spanish for museum visitors.
• STEM Store On-site retail store offering STEM-themed gifts, science kits, plasma balls, remote-controlled airplanes, and related merchandise, with proceeds supporting the mission. Members receive 10% discount, and no museum admission is required to shop.
• Annual Memberships Annual memberships providing unlimited general admission for a full calendar year, plus benefits including a 10% STEM Store discount and access to 300+ ASTC Passport Program museums worldwide. Tiers include Individual ($70), Dual ($95), Grandparent ($125), Family ($160), and Add-On ($35).

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 27,000 visitors in first three months after grand opening in 1988
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ChevroncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 May 2019Chevron partnered with Discovery Center of Idaho to sponsor TINKER THE T-REX exhibition, bringing a brand new long-term Tyrannosaurus Rex exhibition to Idaho. The 1,000 sq. ft. exhibition features hands-on STEM exhibits built in-house at the Micron Innovation Lab.
• Idaho STEM Action CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPresented the BRICKS! interactive 3,000 sq. ft. exhibition igniting design curiosity and hands-on creativity. Partnership provides educational content and support for STEM programming.
• Idaho Botanical GardencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with Discovery Center for Wizarding Camp programming where campers spend mornings at Idaho Botanical Garden and afternoons at Discovery Center for full-day magical-themed STEM activities.
• Wassmuth Center for Human RightscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated for Camp Impact combining empathy, community, and science education. Campers spend mornings at Wassmuth Center for Human Rights and afternoons at Discovery Center exploring intersection of human rights and STEM.
• Skyhawks Sports / Treasure Valley SkyhawksminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for STEM Basketball and Soccer camps teaching STEM concepts through sports. Camps held at Discovery Center from 9am-12pm.
• Recite MecoreTechnology or IntegrationPartnership announced May 2024 to provide inclusive online experience for website visitors with accessibility features including screen reading, translation tools, and text-to-speech functionality.
• Boise State University Department of World LanguagescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership created digital language translation program providing written and audio translations of exhibit panels in French and Spanish. Created by graduate students in French and Spanish language programs.
• City of BoisecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupported installation of Solar System Trail at Julia Davis Park. Partnership maintains outdoor exhibit along ¾-mile loop trail with planet panels in English and Spanish.
• Environmental Science International (ESI)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupported new Solar System Trail creation providing funding for modern outdoor exhibit replacing original Planet Walk from the 1990s.
• National Informal STEM Education Network (N.I.S.E.)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSource of STEAM lending kit materials from national network. Kits available for 3-week lending periods with $25 refundable deposit.
• CELL-METcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSource of STEAM lending kit materials for classroom and home use. Kits provided at no net cost through partnership.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses3 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/dcidaho
• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/discoverycenterofidaho
• Facebookfacebook.com/DiscoveryCenterIdaho
• Instagraminstagram.com/dcidaho
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/discovery-center-of-idaho

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Discovery Center Of Idaho Inc